Tag Archives: Ojai Pixie Tangerines

It’s a disconcerting and confusing time for all of us and our “SoCal Restaurant Show” mission, until the Covid-19 crisis is abated, is to provide reliable and genuinely useful information on how the restaurant business is coping with the rapidly evolving events. With an emphasis on the health, safety and well-being of our listeners we’ll be detailing what the range of services restaurants can provide to their guests. Creativity is at the forefront. We’re keeping it upbeat…Thanks so very much for the highly positive response to last week’s restaurant guests.

Chefs and restaurateurs are the most generous people I know. In times of need they are always the very first in generously giving back and meaningfully supporting their communities. Truly remarkable…Right now restaurants urgently need our support to stay afloat. Kindly keep this in mind and please do what you possibly can to support a local restaurant….

As always, we greatly appreciate you being a part of our loyal listening audience. Truly couldn’t do it without the supportive & encouraging foodie community.

It’s an especially difficult time to navigate the supermarkets right now (particularly with “Social Distancing”) and you want fresh proteins of the highest quality to cook at home in addition to your ability to take advantage of restaurant delivery/takeout. West Coast Prime Meats supplies the top restaurants and hotels in Southern California. Responding to the crisis they are now selling to the public for the very first time with next day pickup in their Brea facility between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. For information please call them Monday through Thursday from 7a.m. to 3 p.m. You can conveniently obtain a wide range of superior proteins in case packs at fair prices with their usual wonderful customer service. Available are Beef, Grinds & Patties, Poultry, Pork and even Seafood. Their exemplary sanitary practices are way above Industry requirements. Call them to get an Inventory List emailed to you. 714.255.8560.

“A newcomer to the vibrant culinary scene that can be found in and around Newport Beach, BELLO by Sandro Nardone offers a combination of traditional authentic Italian food and modern dishes in a style similar to that served at the top restaurants in Italy. Born in a small town located between Rome and Naples, Chef Sandro comes from Atina, Italy, where he was raised in a family of chefs.” We nudge Chef Sandro away from his eye-catching, wood-burning pizza oven to tell us about his take-out & delivery menu. It includes his always popular, signature pizzas.

“Jar, a modern chophouse in the heart of Los Angeles, commands the attention of Angelenos with the allure of Chef / Proprietor Suzanne Tracht’s familiar retro dishes from the American culinary repertoire. Since it’s debut in 2002, Jar’s devoted fans return again and again to enjoy her signature Pot Roast, Kansas City Steak, wild and sustainable Seafood, Lemongrass Chicken, Black Mussels with Lobster Bearnaise & Fennel Salt, award-winning French Fries, market-fresh sides and perfectly mixed martinis. During the ban on dine-in Jar continues to serve guests with Jar to-go, Jar Cocktails to-go, Wines to-go and a boxed Dinner for four. Chef Suzanne joins us with all the salivating menu details.

“Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar is open for take-out and offers an ever-evolving menu courtesy of the imagination of Owner and Executive Chef Rich Mead. Designed to elevate the at-home dining experience, the Farmhouse take-out menu now offers a curbside market, produce boxes, a signature kids menu and curbside cocktails to-go in addition to weekly wine deals, fresh daily specials, family-style meals, and more through easy pick-up or local delivery options. Delivery is available from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 4:00-7:00 p.m. daily. Complimentary deliveries will be made on orders of $75 or more within a 2.5 mile radius.”

In times of crisis it’s always best to rely on the reassuring expertise of those truly knowledgeable in their specific areas. Such is the case with our always engaging resident wine authority Kyle Meyer, the Managing Partner of Santa Ana’s Wine Exchange. Tragically Italy and Spain have been particularly hard-hit by the Covid-19 crisis. Listeners have been asking what impact the fast-evolving health crisis will have on the current and future wine business in both Italy and Spain. Will global sales of these popular wines be altered? We’ll gain the accurate perspective from Kyle.

It’s Ojai Pixie Tangerine season. They may be small in size but Ojai Pixie Tangerines are bursting with sunshine sweet flavor and chin-dripping juiciness. Grown in the pleasant costal climate of Ojai, California, Pixie Tangerines are picked at the peak of perfection for optimum flavor. Not only are Pixie Tangerines seedless, but their bright colored rind is very easy -to -peel and their segments separate neatly making them the perfect on-the-go, healthy snack! Melissa’sMichelle Grow (their resident expert on Ojai Pixie Tangerines) peels the 411 on Ojai Pixie Tangerines for us.

“Green Flash Brewing Co. has been crafting innovative award-winning beers in San Diego since 2002. We obsess over every detail, because we believe each green flash beer should be as remarkable as the last. Green Flash was one of the original breweries in San Diego with a focus on big but approachable beers with tons of flavor and aromas.”

In 2014, Alpine Beer Company merged with San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing Company, increasing production and distribution of its ales.

“Celebrated by craft beer fanatics as “The Home of Pure Hoppiness,” Alpine Beer Company was established in 1999 by husband and wife team, Pat and Val McIlhenney, with the creation of McIlhenney’s Irish Red. Shawn McIlhenney (Pat & Val’s son) now leads brewing operations in the small town of Alpine, located in the hills at the eastern edge of San Diego County. The brewery includes a tasting room and outdoor beer garden. Just a few blocks away, Alpine beers are on tap at the Alpine Beer Company Pub and served alongside barbecue dishes.

Chef Bill Bracken, the Founder of Bracken’s Kitchen, is no stranger to the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” In response to even more economic and social restrictions due to the coronavirus, Bracken’s Kitchen, a growing non-profit that recovers food and feeds those in need, is stepping up its meal production to a goal of at least 25,000 meals a week. That’s nearly four times their average! They cannot do this alone. They are seeking donations to keep moving forward. They’ve changed their meal production at Bracken’s Kitchen to meet the demand in our community. Chef Bill Bracken is our guest detailing the community need.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness (with proper Social Distancing) on this week’s not-to-miss show!

It’s now Ojai Pixie Tangerine season through May. “They may be small in size but Ojai Pixie Tangerines are bursting with sunshine sweet flavor and chin-dripping juiciness. Grown in the pleasant costal climate of Ojai, California, Pixie Tangerines are picked at the peak of perfection for optimum flavor. Not only are Pixie Tangerines seedless, but their bright colored rind is very easy -to -peel and their segments separate neatly making them the perfect on-the-go, healthy snack!”

“Delicious in flavor and easy-to-eat, what more can these tangerines offer you? Well, how about their healthy goodness? Like all other citrus, these tangerines are loaded with Vitamin C, antioxidants and other essential nutrients which help maintain immunity and a healthy circulatory system. Remember, eating fruits such as tangerines and vegetables instead of higher fat and higher calories foods are a key part of maintaining a healthy diet with no-guilt.”

It’s a disconcerting and confusing time for all of us and our “SoCal Restaurant Show” mission, until the Covid-19 crisis is abated, is to provide reliable and genuinely useful information on how the restaurant business is coping with the rapidly evolving events. With an emphasis on the health, safety and well-being of our listeners we’ll be detailing what the range of services restaurants can provide to their guests. Creativity is at the forefront. We’re keeping it upbeat…Thanks so very much for the highly positive response to last week’s restaurant guests.

Chefs and restaurateurs are the most generous people I know. In times of need they are always the very first in generously giving back and meaningfully supporting their communities. Truly remarkable…Right now restaurants urgently need our support to stay afloat. Kindly keep this in mind and please do what you possibly can to support a local restaurant….

As always, we greatly appreciate you being a part of our loyal listening audience. Truly couldn’t do it without the foodie community.

“A newcomer to the vibrant culinary scene that can be found in and around Newport Beach, BELLO by Sandro Nardone offers a combination of traditional authentic Italian food and modern dishes in a style similar to that served at the top restaurants in Italy. Born in a small town located between Rome and Naples, Chef Sandro comes from Atina, Italy, where he was raised in a family of chefs.” We nudge Chef Sandro out of his kitchen to tell us about his take-out & delivery menu. It includes his always popular, signature pizzas.

“Jar, a modern chophouse in the heart of Los Angeles, commands the attention of Angelenos with the allure of Chef / Proprietor Suzanne Tracht’s familiar retro dishes from the American culinary repertoire. Since it’s debut in 2002, Jar’s devoted fans return again and again to enjoy her signature Pot Roast, Kansas City Steak, wild and sustainable Seafood, Lemongrass Chicken, Black Mussels with Lobster Bearnaise & Fennel Salt, award-winning French Fries, market-fresh sides and perfectly mixed martinis. During the ban on dine-in Jar continues to serve guests with Jar to-go, Jar Cocktails to-go, Wines to-go and a boxed Dinner for four. Chef Suzanne joins us with all the salivating menu details.

“Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar is open for take-out and offers an ever-evolving menu courtesy of the imagination of Owner and Executive Chef Rich Mead. Designed to elevate the at-home dining experience, the Farmhouse take-out menu now offers a curbside market, produce boxes, a signature kids menu and curbside cocktails to-go in addition to weekly wine deals, fresh daily specials, family-style meals, and more through easy pick-up or local delivery options. Delivery is available from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. daily. Complimentary deliveries will be made on orders of $75 or more within a 2.5 mile radius.”

In times of crisis it’s always best to rely on the reassuring expertise of those truly knowledgeable in their specific areas. Such is the case with our always engaging resident wine authority Kyle Meyer, the Managing Partner of Santa Ana’s Wine Exchange. Tragically Italy and Spain have been particularly hard-hit by the Covid-19 crisis. Listeners have been asking what impact the fast-evolving health crisis will have on the current and future wine business in both Italy and Spain. Will global sales of these popular wines be altered? We’ll gain the accurate perspective from Kyle.

It’s Ojai Pixie Tangerine season. They may be small in size but Ojai Pixie Tangerines are bursting with sunshine sweet flavor and chin-dripping juiciness. Grown in the pleasant costal climate of Ojai, California, Pixie Tangerines are picked at the peak of perfection for optimum flavor. Not only are Pixie Tangerines seedless, but their bright colored rind is very easy -to -peel and their segments separate neatly making them the perfect on-the-go, healthy snack! Melissa’s Michelle Grow (their resident expert on Ojai Pixie Tangerines) peels the 411 on Ojai Pixie Tangerines for us.

“Green Flash Brewing Co. has been crafting innovative award-winning beers in San Diego since 2002. We obsess over every detail, because we believe each green flash beer should be as remarkable as the last. Green Flash was one of the original breweries in San Diego with a focus on big but approachable beers with tons of flavor and aromas.”

In 2014, Alpine Beer Company merged with San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing Company, increasing production and distribution of its ales.

“Celebrated by craft beer fanatics as “The Home of Pure Hoppiness,” Alpine Beer Company was established in 1999 by husband and wife team, Pat and Val McIlhenney, with the creation of McIlhenney’s Irish Red. Shawn McIlhenney (Pat & Val’s son) now leads brewing operations in the small town of Alpine, located in the hills at the eastern edge of San Diego County. The brewery includes a tasting room and outdoor beer garden. Just a few blocks away, Alpine beers are on tap at the Alpine Beer Company Pub and served alongside barbecue dishes.

Chef Bill Bracken, the Founder of Bracken’s Kitchen, is no stranger to the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” In response to even more economic and social restrictions due to the coronavirus, Bracken’s Kitchen, a growing non-profit that recovers food and feeds those in need, is stepping up its meal production to a goal of at least 25,000 meals a week. That’s nearly four times their average! They cannot do this alone. They are seeking donations to keep moving forward. They’ve changed their meal production at Bracken’s Kitchen to meet the need in our community. Chef Bill Bracken is our guest detailing the community need.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

“A newcomer to the vibrant culinary scene that can be found in and around Newport Beach, BELLO by Sandro Nardoneoffers a combination of traditional authentic Italian food and modern dishes in a style similar to that served at the top restaurants in Italy. Born in a small town located between Rome and Naples, Chef Sandro comes from Atina, Italy, where he was raised in a family of chefs.”

“From an early age, he adopted food as his passion as his parents ran a small chain of restaurants, with his mother, Giovanna, as chef. At BELLO, Chef Sandro’s menu revolves around the very best ingredients and simplicity, the two guiding principles that have always been the foundation of traditional Italian cuisine.”

Chef Sandro is offering some of his most popular offerings on BELLO’s menu, including his signature made-to-order, wood-fired pizzas, for curbside pick-up and delivery through Grubhub and Ubereats. Guests may order online for curbside pick-up.

Chef Sandro is preparing a limited number of Family Meals inspired by those from his youth in Italy. Meals will change nightly and feature dishes such as Baked Rigatoni Bolognese and Lasagna. Guests may check current offering and place orders by calling the restaurant at 949-520-7191 or emailing Roberto at BELLO by Sergio Nardone.

Bello is offering Cocktails to go (single servings or a “4-pack”), as well as wines by the glass and their bottle list is being offered at 25% off.

We gently pull Chef Sandro out of his kitchen to tell us about his adapted take-out & delivery menu.

“Jar, a modern chophouse in the heart of Los Angeles, commands the attention of Angelenos with the allure of Chef / Proprietor Suzanne Tracht’s familiar retro dishes from the American culinary repertoire.

During the prohibition on dine-in Jar continues to serve guests with Jar to-go, Jar Cocktails to-go, Wines to-go and a boxed Dinner for four. Chef Suzanne joins us with all the salivating menu details.

“Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar is open for take-out and offers an ever-evolving menu courtesy of Owner and Executive Chef Rich Mead. Designed to elevate the at-home dining experience, the Farmhouse take-out menu now offers a curbside market, produce boxes, a signature kids menu and curbside cocktails to-go in addition to weekly wine deals, fresh daily specials, family-style meals, and more through easy pick-up or local delivery options. Delivery is available from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. daily. Complimentary deliveries will be made on orders of $75 or more within a 2.5 mile radius.”

“During his 35 years of culinary expertise, Chef Rich Mead has cultivated relationships with the highest regarded local sustainable farms, allowing him to create the freshest menus using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and specially grown vegetables. In 2016, after years of planning, Chef Mead unveiled a unique and sustainable field-to-fork dining experience at Farmhouse, located within Roger’s Gardens. Nestled on over 6 acres in the garden-like setting, Farmhouse features exclusive wines, craft beers, signature cocktails, artisan refreshments and a healthy based seasonal cuisine.”

In times of crisis it’s always best to call on the calming expertise of those truly knowledgeable in their specific areas. Such is the case with our always engaging resident wine authority Kyle Meyer, the Managing Partner of Santa Ana’s Wine Exchange.

Tragically Italy and Spain have been particularly hard-hit by the Covid-19 crisis. Listeners have been asking what impact the fast-evolving health crisis will have on the current and future wine business in both Italy and Spain. Will global sales of these popular wines be altered? We’ll gain the accurate perspective from Kyle.

It’s now Ojai Pixie Tangerine season through May. “They may be small in size but Ojai Pixie Tangerines are bursting with sunshine sweet flavor and chin-dripping juiciness. Grown in the pleasant costal climate of Ojai, California, Pixie Tangerines are picked at the peak of perfection for optimum flavor. Not only are Pixie Tangerines seedless, but their bright colored rind is very easy -to -peel and their segments separate neatly making them the perfect on-the-go, healthy snack!”

“Delicious in flavor and easy-to-eat, what more can these tangerines offer you? Well, how about their healthy goodness? Like all other citrus, these tangerines are loaded with Vitamin C, antioxidants and other essential nutrients which help maintain immunity and a healthy circulatory system. Remember, eating fruits such as tangerines and vegetables instead of higher fat and higher calories foods are a key part of maintaining a healthy diet with no-guilt.”

Green Flash Brewing Co. has been crafting innovative award-winning beers in San Diego since 2002. “We obsess over every detail, because we believe each Green Flash beer should be as remarkable as the last. Green Flash was one of the original breweries in San Diego with a focus on big but approachable beers with tons of flavor and aromas. When the perfect ingredients come together at just the right moment, the result can be magical…a Green Flash.”

“Celebrated by craft beer fanatics as “The Home of Pure Hoppiness,” Alpine Beer Company was established in 1999 by husband and wife team, Pat and Val McIlhenney, with the creation of McIlhenney’s Irish Red. Shawn McIlhenney (Pat & Val’s son) now leads brewing operations in the small town of Alpine, located in the hills at the eastern edge of San Diego County. The brewery includes a tasting room and outdoor beer garden. Just a few blocks away, Alpine beers are on tap at the Alpine Beer Company Pub and served alongside barbecue dishes. In 2014, Alpine Beer Company merged with San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing Company, increasing production and distribution of its ales.

Dave Adams, Green Flash Brewing Brewing Co’s and Alpine Beer Co’s Vice President of Hospitality and a Certified Cicerone taps the keg for us on both independently-owned craft breweries.

Chef Bill Bracken, the Founder of Bracken’s Kitchen, is no stranger to the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” “In response to even more economic and social restrictions due to the coronavirus, Bracken’s Kitchen, a growing non-profit that recovers food and feeds those in need is stepping up its meal production to a goal of at least 25,000 meals a week. That’s nearly four times their average! They cannot do this alone. They are seeking donations to keep moving forward. They’ve changed their meal production at Bracken’s Kitchen to meet the need in our community.”

“My heart and prayers goes out to each and every person whose life is being completely turned upside down by this invisible virus,” said Bill Bracken, Founder of Bracken’s Kitchen.

“But in spite of all of this please remember my friends. THIS TOO WILL PASS and life will go on. Now more than ever we will work to “Delivering Hope, One Tasty Meal At A Time.”

Now a tempting preview of this Saturday’s lush and abundant show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s actually a pretty good thing…

Evans Brewing Co. was formed in 2014 when it absorbed the assets of Bayhawk Ales, Inc., Orange County’s oldest operating microbrewery established in 1994 and now publicly traded. Last December Evans Brewing Co. launched The Public House in Fullerton, a full-service restaurant and Tasting Room. The COO and Founder of Evans Brewing Co., Evan Rapport, joins us with a cold one.

What’s the pick of the season in fresh produce right now? We’re talking the very best in fruits and veggies with Robert Schueller, the uncontested Prince of Produce from Melissa’s World Variety Produce and our resident produce authority for a juicy update. We can say for sure that the incredible, tree-ripened Ojai Pixie Tangerines have arrived early and, with any luck, will be with us through June. It’s a bumper crop…

It’s the 50th Anniversary of Costa Mesa’s celebrated South Coast Plaza. Most of the restaurants there are doing something special to celebrate during the month of March. Bravo’s “Top Chef” alum, Chef Brian Huskey of Tackle Box (on the sand in Costa Mesa), has created the Camarena Tequila chipotle-braised carnitas taco entrée for Wahoo’s Fish Taco in South Coast Plaza. It’s available exclusively at Wahoo’s SCP (2nd level of the Crate and Barrel / Macy’s Home Store Wing) for the month of March. We’ve reeled in Chef Brian to provide the details.

All of this and heaping cups of much more incredible food talk on today’s show!

Chef Andrew Gruel is opening a new Slapfish in Silicon Flats, Utah and will be back with us very soon.

What’s the pick of the season in fresh produce right now? We’re joined by Robert Schueller, the uncontested Prince of Produce from Melissa’s World Variety Produce and our resident produce authority for a juicy update.

We can say for sure that the incredible, tree-ripened Ojai Pixie Tangerines have arrived early and, with any luck, will be with us through June. Fortunately for us It’s a bumper crop this year.

We have been enthusiastically following the incredible “Road to Lyon” for Team USA in the prestigious Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition since Chef Mathew Peters (formerly with Thomas Keller’s per se) and his Commis, Harrison Turone, reigned supreme in a fierce cooking competition at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas in December 2015 to win the honor of representing Team USA in 2017 sat the Bocuse d’Or . For the first time in the 30- year history of the biannual Bocuse d’Or, Team USA took the coveted First Place Gold Statue in late January in Lyon.

Now a tempting preview of this Saturday’s lush and abundant show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s actually a pretty good thing…

Chef Bill Yosses was the Executive Pastry Chef at The White House (7 years) for both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He’s now back in New York with Perfect Pie. More unusually he’s the “Official Pie Maker” for the current Off-Broadway Production of Sweeney Todd. Chef Bill briefly steps away from the deck ovens and is our guest.

Evans Brewing Co. was formed in 2014 when it absorbed the assets of Bayhawk Ales, Inc., Orange County’s oldest operating microbrewery established in 1994 and now publicly traded. Last December Evans Brewing Co. launched The Public House in Fullerton, a full-service restaurant and Tasting Room. The COO and Founder of Evans Brewing Co., Evan Rapport, joins us with a cold one.

What’s the pick of the season in fresh produce right now? We’re talking the very best in fruits and veggies with Robert Schueller, the uncontested Prince of Produce from Melissa’s World Variety Produce and our resident produce authority for a juicy update. We can say for sure that the incredible, tree-ripened Ojai Pixie Tangerines have arrived early and, with any luck, will be with us through May.

Urge Gastropub and Whiskey Bank (including a production microbrewery and hidden Prohibition-era Speakeasy) is new in Oceanside. We’ll savor one of the 250 whiskey options with Co-Owner Grant Tondro of 3LocalBrothers.

It’s the 50th Anniversary of Costa Mesa’s celebrated South Coast Plaza. Most of the restaurants there are doing something special to celebrate during the month of March. Bravo’s “Top Chef” alum, Chef Brian Huskey of Tackle Box (on the sand in Costa Mesa), has created the Camarena Tequila chipotle-braised carnitas taco entrée for Wahoo’s FishTaco in South Coast Plaza. It’s available exclusively at Wahoo’s SCP (2nd level of the Crate and Barrel / Macy’s Home Store Wing) for the month of March. We’ve reeled in Chef Brian to provide the details.

Chef Bill Yosses was previously the Executive Pastry Chef at The White House (8 years) for both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He’s now back in New York with Perfect Pie. More unusually he’s the “Official Pie Maker” for the current Off-Broadway Production of Sweeney Todd.

New from Perfect Pie is Oprah’s Valentine’s Day Pie Assortment in a presentation box with ribbon, Wild Blueberry Pie, BBQ Pulled Pork Pie and Pumpkin Pie.

Chef Bill was publicly proclaimed the “Crustmaster” by former President Obama and the “Pastry Man” by former President Bush.

Chef Bill steps away from the deck ovens and is our guest.

Now the Tooting Arts Club is serving up a fresh production of this musical theater classic, Sweeney Todd. This immersive revival has transferred to New York City after a sold-out run in London, where it premiered at Harrington’s Pie and Mash Shop. The Barrow StreetTheatre re-creates the pie shop atmosphere, even selling pies on-site. Rest assured, the cook is no relation of Sweeney’s. He is Bill Yosses, a former White House pastry chef whom President Obama dubbed “the Crust Master.”

In keeping with the original Tooting production and the West End transfer, “pie and mash” will be available for purchase by all audience members prior to every performance, served communally in the pie shop where the production is set. An authentic slice of Victorian London, the traditional dish consists of a meat (Chicken) pie, a generous helping of mashed potato and hot parsley sauce. Both meat and vegetarian variations are available for the show.

Evans Brewing Co. was formed in 2014 when it absorbed the assets of Bayhawk Ales, Inc., Orange County’s oldest operating microbrewery established in 1994 and then became publicly traded.

The production brewery (with new, enhanced equipment) is still based in an unusual space adjacent to McCormick &Schmick’s in Irvine where Bayhawk Ales was originally founded. The brewing process can be observed through floor-to-ceiling windows from the adjacent Pilsner Room at McCormick & Schmicks’s

Last December Evans Brewing Co’ launched The Public House in Fullerton, a full-service restaurant and Tasting Room.

The menu of elevated from-scratch pub fare was developed by executive chef, Amanda Platt and features dishes that pair well with the company’s craft ales & lagers. Brunch is served on Weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The COO and Founder of Evans Brewing Co., Evan Rapport, joins us with a cold one.

What’s the pick of the season in fresh produce right now? We’re joined by Robert Schueller, the uncontested Prince of Produce from Melissa’s World Variety Produce and our resident produce authority for a juicy update.

We can say for sure that the incredible, tree-ripened Ojai Pixie Tangerines have arrived early and, with any luck, will be with us through May. We’ll also be highlighting (as time allows) Kiwiberries, Red and Green Muscato Grapes and Golden Nugget Tangerines.

Founded in 2015 Urge Gastropub and Whiskey Bank is one of Oceanside’s creative takes on the Modern American locals’ hangout. Satisfying comfort foods, wines and an extensive beer list (including house-brewed styles) are accompanied with an enormous and eclectic selection of the world’s finest Whisk(e)ys. Urge Oceanside is also the home of Mason Ale Works, a production craft brewery.

Everything “Coconut,” for instance, is hot…Melissa’s is introducing Fresh Coconut. It’s fresh coconut juice (with no additives) in a genuine coconut grown in Vietnam. Also available are coconut hearts & slices, young coconuts, packaged coconut clean snaxs and lots more.

Also, trendy citrus abounds. Look for Neapolitan Tangerines right now. Neapolitan Tangerines are a brand new hybrid variety available commercially for the first time in limited quantities. This Neapolitan is slightly smaller in size than most tangerines, but has a big flavor with a very high natural sugar content. This fruit is seedless, easy to peel and extremely juicy.

A Bumper crop of the incredible Ojai Pixie Tangerines is on the horizon. Look for them in March.

For starters the incredible Ojai Pixie Tangerines are back and there is a new, distinctive Dragon Fruit from Israel that’s actually sweet. And wonderful, flavorful grapes are now available outside of the Summer season.

Savor the tasty, delicate treat of tree-ripened Ojai Pixie Tangerines bursting with sunshine-sweet flavor and juice. This seedless variety is the result of open pollination of Kincy, King and Dancy mandarins. Popular backyard trees in Ojai, California, they bear small to medium-sized citrus, having pebbly textured, yellow-orange rinds with loose skins that peel easily. The segments separate neatly for a quick snack, making them a great choice for eating out of hand.

Robert shares a great tip for handling fruits. To preserve freshness and protect the integrity of the fruit resist the temptation to wash until just right before you’re going to enjoy the item.

Spring is here so the time is right to get an authoritative overview of the highlights in Spring produce. Our favorite produce savant, Robert Schueller, of Melissa’s World Variety Produce is with us to share what’s really fresh from the fields.

We’ll be talking about Kale, Kumquats, Rhubarb and Ojai Pixie Tangerines with a few practical cooking tips added for good measure.

The Tuscan Kale (Black, Dino and Laci) is a favorite of chefs in addition to common, flowering and Kale Sprouts.

Robert shares his Grandmother’s recipe for breaking down Rhubard on the stove top and easily creating a delightful Rhubarb spread. It’s even quick and easy…

The recipe for the incredible Strawberry-Rhubarb Muffins topped with Pixie Tangerine Butter Cream and a Pixie Tangerine segment is on the Melissa’s website.